Maria Kanellis - Season 3

"Donald Trump, I'm not afraid of you."

Maria Kanellis is currently a professional wrestler with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Kanellis is also a trained actress, developing singer, aspiring songwriter, practicing fashion designer and a model.

Born on February 25, 1982 in Ottawa, IL, Kanellis grew up surrounded by cars and in her free time could be found juggling sports, pageants and dancing. The oldest of three siblings, she graduated from Ottawa Township High School in 2000 before spending some time as a student at Northern Illinois University.

In 2004, Kanellis made her first of many television appearances when she was a contestant on the reality series "Outback Jack." Soon after she tried out for and placed fifth in the "WWE Raw Diva Search" out of thousands of contestants. Although she was eliminated, she was later hired by WWE as a backstage interviewer on "Monday Night Raw" and began training for the next three years at the Ohio Valley Wrestling facility. She began competing in the ring as a wrestler in 2005. Since her debut, Maria has worked alongside the company's biggest superstars including Vince McMahon, John Cena, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Kanellis has never shied away from a storyline and is most comfortable in the spotlight. She posed for the April 2008 cover and pictorial in Playboy magazine, which WWE incorporated into one of the year's most popular storylines on "Monday Night Raw." For the Playboy shoot, she was involved in determining several elements, including lighting, wardrobe and style. She has also created outfits for her wrestling matches, television appearances, red carpet charity events and high-profile WWE ceremonies. She is currently developing her own clothing line, and she also writes and produces her own music.

Kanellis is also currently performing on WWE's "Smackdown" roster, and has live events, signings and appearances worldwide. Her television credits include appearances on "Family Feud," "Project Runway," " VH1's Top 20 Video Countdown," "The Insider," "Best Damn Sports Show," "Red Eye," and "The Today Show."

She is also very active when it comes to charity work, from The Make-a-Wish Foundation to Generation Rescue, Paws for Style, St. Jude's Children Hospital and The Kentucky Humane Society to name a few. Philanthropy holds a special place in Maria's life and she continually donates her time and money toward newfound, worthy causes. She has also traveled overseas with the WWE for the past five years for its annual "Tribute to the Troops Tour," donating her time and energy to entertain and spread goodwill to our servicemen and women stationed overseas. She has just begun her rise to stardom but already has millions of fans and an intense drive for success. The life mantra that inspires her is, "Passion is my motivation."

Maria's charity is the Make-A-Wish Foundation

Before "The Celebrity Apprentice," Maria had worked with the Make-A-Wish Foundation a number of times and she's had many opportunities to get to know the Make-A-Wish kids. Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. When Maria first met the Make-A-Wish kids and learned about their situations, she was heartbroken, but found comfort in knowing that through Make-A-Wish, these kids can still find some happiness.

Re: Maria Kanellis - Season 3

Originally Posted by CharmOffensive;3864924;

I like her personality but she's so overexposed. It seems she'll do just about anything to get her face on TV. A total poser! Looks like Miley Cyrus (eyes).

I know I inquired if she was a "reality show whore" a few posts back, but I've been rethinking it a bit. Sure, she may be, but she's hardly on the scale of a lot of those people who do nothing but leapfrog from reality show to reality show. Plus, actually looking at what she's done, it seems pretty harmless.

How could someone most of us have never (or barely) heard of be "overexposed"?

At least according to her bio, she's hardly been omnipresent either. Two obscure reality shows in 2004, then WWE (which is all but invisible, from a cultural standpoint to people who don't watch wrestling), then Playboy, and some other typical "spokesmodel" type appearances on Attack of the Show, VH1, etc. While that kind of career is certainly not wholesome, its not automatically "will do anything to be on TV". Allegedly (at least according to whoever built her Wikipedia page) she refused to do Playboy originally, because her little sister was in high school and she didn't want to embarrass her.

Apparently her "current" job is as an MMA announcer. Seems harmless enough, on the "will do anything to be on TV" scale.

The important thing is that she seems a lot more clever, and more in control, than many of the people who appear on this crappy show. At least so far.

Re: Maria Kanellis - Season 3

I'd never seen Outback Jack, so I looked her up.
I think she looked a lot better before.
She's now got that Sharon Osbourne plastic surgery hardened look going on and she's too young to look that way.
Why can't people leave well enough alone???

Re: Maria Kanellis - Season 3

Originally Posted by norealityhere;3865406;

I'd never seen Outback Jack, so I looked her up.
I think she looked a lot better before.
She's now got that Sharon Osbourne plastic surgery hardened look going on and she's too young to look that way.
Why can't people leave well enough alone???

If you ever get a chance to watch it in reruns do it. It's the best reality dating show ever created.